When Andrew Holder opened a modest 200-square-metre gym in Shenton Park in 2012, the then 21-year-old Western Australian Sheffield Shield cricketer thought he was simply creating space to focus on his sporting career.
What emerged instead was an obsession with serving others that would transform into one of the Australian fitness industry’s most compelling growth stories of Revo Fitness.
“My cricketing background had me forever focused on my health and fitness, but they were really separate journeys,” Mr Holder says.
“When I founded Revo, I thought I was starting the business to give myself some space to focus on cricket, but what I quickly realised was that I loved the feeling of serving people, creating a community and giving back to people who were also wanting to realise their health and fitness goals.”
Revo Fitness’ first trainers John Stoykovski (left), Andrew Holder and Luke Hallam
That passion has driven Revo’s expansion from a single suburban gym to 52 locations across Australia, with ambitious plans to reach 100 sites by 2027.
But like any good innings, the foundation was built on patience and discipline.
“We only opened six gyms in our first eight years, and that was really deliberate,” Mr Holder says.
“Learning how to build a sustainable brand was absolutely critical. We needed to hone our craft to understand the economies of scale, and like sport, repetition builds strong foundations, from consistency and trusting our intuition.”
That measured approach challenged industry norms, particularly for a young entrepreneur seeking recognition.
“As a 21-year-old, you're looking for validation and acceptance, not only from the industry, but from everyone,” Mr Holder says. “The thing I learned was that I was never going to get that validation without just putting one foot in front of the other, and proving what I believed in. I had to break out of the mould of expectations and do things differently.”
Andrew Holder at the building site for Revo Fitness in Scarborough
Doing things differently meant focusing on automation, systems, recruitment and the member experience. It also meant building a business model around transparency and accessibility, with no lock-in contracts or hidden fees, one that did not exist in the industry.
The disciplined groundwork paid off when COVID-19 hit in 2020. While others retreated, Mr Holder saw opportunity.
“That moment was critical because none of our competitors could come into the WA market because of the hard border, and none of the large format retailers we were in competition with for leasing space were entering the market,” he says.
The company’s response to the pandemic proved pivotal in building community trust.
“When we closed, we deliberately chose to stop all memberships, therefore stopping all revenue streams. This was unlike a lot of our industry. This was a monumental decision, but we have forever said we were and are a member first business and this was again putting our members first.” Holder says.
The first Revo Fitness gym in Shenton Park
“Whilst everyone was using their goodwill, we were building it. Showcasing to our members that we had their back, and we cared about their relationship with our brand.”
That trust has translated into unprecedented growth. In the four years since, Revo has opened 44 gyms nationally, compared to six in its first eight years. The acceleration was no accident.“We built the engine to scale faster without losing the essence and soul of Revo,” Mr Holder says.
“Because we knew our business inside out, we were able to hire high quality people to drive the values and culture of the business as we scaled up. We are not a franchise, and so all our learnings and experiences go back into all our existing and new locations to continuously improve.”
With plans for 100 locations by 2027, Mr Holder sees clear parallels between business growth and his sporting background.
“To become an elite professional sportsperson, you need repetition,” he says.
“In business, people don't always take that time to refine and understand what makes a business tick and become great. My responsibility was to be disciplined with our approach and really learn the intricacies of who we were as a business and what we wanted to achieve.”
That disciplined approach extends to maintaining connection with frontline staff and customers even as the business grows.
“We have a really strong relationship with our club managers and employees,” he says.
“There is no point making decisions in a head office without engaging and understanding the facilities, people and service itself. We love our brand and what we're producing for the community.”
Revo Fitness’ reformer Pilates offering in The Studio
Reflecting on Revo's journey from suburban gym to one of the largest privately owned national fitness company's, Mr Holder looked back on his cricketing career for perspective.
“In cricket, you fail more than you win, but you're excited by the chance to succeed. For me, watching our business create opportunities for Australians is phenomenally exciting.”
This focus on creating opportunities extends beyond members to Revo’s growing workforce, with the rapid expansion creating a platform for career development that Mr Holder sees as crucial to maintaining quality through growth.
Looking ahead, Revo's ambitious target of 100 gyms by 2027 is driven by more than just numbers.
“High quality people create high quality experiences, which create high quality businesses,” he says.
“Our real focus is making quality fitness accessible and affordable for all Australians.”
With strong foundations built through disciplined expansion and a clear roadmap for growth, Revo’s next chapter looks set to be its most compelling yet.
